Chain conveyer.



, No? 700,342. f Patented may 2o, |902.-

' c. w. LEvALLEY.

cHAm convevsm (Applc-ntiop. led Sept. 21, 1900.)v

am Meden) f UN'SITED my invention as being applied. Fig. Ziisa CHRISTOPHER WQ LEVALLEY, on MILWAUKEE', wisconsin. 7* g 1 f f y f' i sPncIFrcnTroNjforming me f'nettrs Patent N0.7oo,e2r1a',-datea May 20,1902. Original application filed NovemherljSflSQ, Serial No. 6064933. Dividedand'this application filed September 27, 1900. SerialNo. 31,306. l (No model.)

T0 all whom t may concern/g f Be it known that I, CHRISTOPHER W. LE- vALLEY, a citizen of theUni'ted-States, residing atMilwaukee, in the countyfofMilwaukee and State of Wisconsin, have invented new and useful Improvements in Chain'Conveyers, of which the following is a specification.

My invention has for its object to produce a chain convQyQr Which is adapted tol a .wide

varietyof uses inthe'wayvof driving and car rying; and the invention consists inimproveland one embodiment thereof, Figure l is a perspective View of a eompmonform'of chainlink,to which in the other views I have shovvn i top plan vieWof such a link, to which isy ser my improvements and f allel lines of chain.T

'cured lthe carrierv or support for a Wheel or roller. Fig. 3 is a fside'view of the parts shown in Fig. 2, in this view lthere being in-4 dicated in dotted line across Slat or bar of e the conveyor.` Fig. 4 isfan end View ofthe'-v 1 parts shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a top plant View of'a sectionof a coveyer embodying,

In the drawings, A represents the link of 3s. vand' couplinghooks yof Vadjacent links when a drive-chain.- It has'side bars d a, an end bar b, and a couplinghook c, the end bars properly united constitutingthe artieulating parts of the links. The side bars of the chain' 4link are provided lwith laterally-extending wings d, Which are perforated for the lpassage'v of bolts or rivets or other attaching devices.l

r by suitable cross ybolts or pins b', arranged at l 5o further described. The side bars of certain the joints or articulating parts of the chain. As this is a commonforrn of link, it need not be of the links A are formed with wings d,-which are Similar to the Wings d ofthe links A.

It is frequently desirable to provide conl veyers with supporting rollers or'wheels arranged to one side of-the line of chain, and a part/of my invention consists of carriers or supports for such wheels which are adapted to be applied to the luksfof the chain orto certain of them. e

' Referring particularlyf'to Figs. 2, 3, and 4,

E represents a plate adapted to rest upon and be secured tothe 'wings d of a chain-lin'k.-

rIfhe 'plate' is provided with an aperture e near oneside and-near kits opposite end with a slot e, and it is secured to the chain by bolts, rivand slot in the plate just referred toandthe 6s i ets, or pins il, whichpass throughthe hole holesl in the Wings 'of the chain, V,wi-thwhich j- -these 'openings register. By elongating'one ofthe openings e', thus-formino* it into a slot,

Ivided at'its end witha short axle or trunnion G`,-upon which: is mounted an antifriction 76 the attachingplate is adapted to be used in wheel or roller H. The bracket F is provided atfits edges withside iiang'es Whichextend sucientlyffar .along lthe edges of the plate Ey lto constituteA bearings which engage With the side edges ofthewing 'd ofthe link to which' the 4carrier is securedy l This construction tendsto prevent the carrier 'from`working looseor twisting upon the link. 1

Asvvill `be seen l by reference to-Figs.- 1,13,

and.4,'the wingsl d are raised somewhat above f the plane ofthemsidefbars, sothat lWhen the `'plate E is secured tothewingsy it is supported sufficiently far above hthelink to permit the sprocket-teeth of the driving-wheel to passv through the' opening in the linkand properly ta'ctwith the plate. r

The bracket F preferablydepends, so that the axis of the WheelHfrissubstantiallyin or slightly below a horizontal plane cutting the axes of the jointsor articulating parts of the chain; but this, while the preferred con=l n struction, may be varied Without departing from the principle of the invention.

engage 'with the link Without comingineeon- It will be seen that not only is the carrier adapted to be applied to Various kinds of links and links of various sizes, but that it may be applied so as to bring the roller upon either the right or left hand side of the chain,

as may be desired, being thusreversible,`

desi rahle.

The invention which I have thus far de- -scribed is applicable to a single line of chain when being used alone, as is the practice with many forms of conveyers. The links of the chain of such a conveyer would be provided with attachments, either integral therewith or applied thereto to suit the particular style of conveying or carrying for which the conveyer is being used.

It will be observed that by the use of the attachments such as I have described itis not only possible to arrange the supporting or antifrictiou wheels H outside of the line of the chain, but that it is also possible to e1nploy wheels of any desired Width of tread, instead of being limited to such Width as will go between the side bars, as when antifriction-wheels of the characterindicated at Jin Fig. 5 are depended upon. Another advantage over the arrangement last referred tothat is, where the antifriction-wheels are arranged between thesidebars-is thatthe Wear of the bearing or supporting Wheels is not at all upon the articulating parts of the chain, with the result that the chain Wears longer and retains its pitch more perfectly than where the antifriction bearing or supporting wheels are mounted upon the articulating parts of the chain. By attaching the supports for the Wheels directly to the side bars of the links and arranging them intermediate of or between the joints or articulating parts of the chain the bearing-supports for the conveyer are applied at their most advantageous points.

It will be understood that suitable tracks or Ways are provided upon which the Wheels or collars travel.

It is sometimes desirable to constructaconveyer with several parallel lines of chain, as when the conveyer is very wide and it is desirable that its cross slats or pieces should be supported at more points than can Well be provided when using a single line of chain, and I have in Fig. 5 represented a conveyer of this type to which my invention is applied. lVith conveyers of this kind a single line of chain is often suiicient to apply the necessary power for driving the conveyor, the other lines of chain being used particularly to steady and properly support the cross-pieces of the conveyer near their outer ends. In Fig. 5 the central line of chain is made up of links A, and this is the driving-chain, while the outer lines of chain are made up of links A', which may be relatively light and are employed only to steady and support the crosspieces of the'conveyer.

K represents a cross-Slat arranged transversely to the lines of chain and secured thereto by bolts and rivets t', passing through the cross-Slat and the wings d of the chain.

Figs. 3 and 5 illustrate how the carrierE F G for a supporting-wheel II may be secured to the same links that the cross-piece K is secured to. This is a desirable engagement, as it brings the supporting wheels or.rollers II directly in line with the cross-pieces K.

This 'case is a division of my application for Letters Patent filed November 18, 1898, Serial No. 696,933.

Having described iny invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by `Letters Patent,

l. In a conveyor, the combination with a chain formed of articulatingI ,links having side bars, of antifriction-wheels attached to the side bars of the chain intermediate of the joints or articulating parts thereof, substantially as set forth.

2. In a conveyer, the combination with a chain formed of articulated links having side bars, the side bars of certain of the links be ing provided, between their ends, with sup, porting Wings, of antifriction wheels, and Wheel-carriers therefor-supported by thesaid Wings of t-he chain-links, substantially as Set forth. y y l 3. In a conveyer, the combination with a chain formed of articulated links, of antifriction supporting-wheels for the chain connected directly With the links thereof and arranged laterally ontside of or beyond the sides of the chain, substantially as set forth.

4C. In a conveyer, the combination with a chain composed of articulated links having side bars, of antifriction-Wheels adapted to support the chain, the said Wheels being attached to the side bars intermediate of the articulating parts of the chain and being arranged outside of or beyond the side edges of the chain, substantially as set forth.

5. In a conveyer, the combination with a chain formed of articulated links, certain of which are provided with Wings which are arranged in a plane above that of the links, of antifrictionuwheels and Wheel-carriers therefor supported upon said Wings and extending across the links, whereby the wheel-carriers are supported in such position as not to interfere with the teeth of the driving ors procket Wheels, substantially as set forth.

G. In a conveyer, the combination with a chain formed of articulated links having side bars, certain of which are provided with wings which are arranged in a plane above that of the links, of antifriction-Wheels for supporting the chain and carriers for the said wheels secured to the said Wings, the said carriers being formed With depending bracket-arms carrying axles for the Wheels, substantially as set forth.

IOO

IIO

IZO

7.l In a conveyer, the combination'with a chain-link having Wings, a supporting-Wheel,

and a carrier for the Wheel, having an attach-v ing-plate adapted to be secured to the said wings, the said plate being formedfwith ahole e and a slot e for the passage of `the'attachin g means, wherebythe carrier is adapted for use with links of different sizes, substantially as set forth.

8. In a cOnVeyer, the combination with a chain-link formed with Wings, of an antifric tion supporting-Wheel,V and a carrier forv the. Wheel having a plate adaptedrto rest upon and be secured to the said wings, the carrier stantially as set forth.

being provided with a bracket and axle for.

- the wheel, andalso with flanges which engage with the opposite sides of substantially as set forth. V

9. In a conveyer, the coinbination'with a chain-link having opposite side bars formed with wings,` a carrier-wheel arranged Vto one side of the chain-link, anda-support or earrier for the Wheel secured tothe Wings of both of the side bars of the link, whereby the wheel is supportedfrom both sides ofthe chain, subone of the wings,v

ylO. In a conveyor, the combination with a chain formed of articulated links, certain of` which are 'forrned with Wings, of antifriction supporting or'bearing Wheels` for' the chai-n adapted to lie outside ofthe edge of the chain, reversible carriers `for th'ewheels adapted to rest upon and be supported by the Wings of the chain-links, and means for securing the t.

saidwheel-carriers tothe Wingsof the'chainlinks, substantially as s`et i"orth.' Y

ll. In a conveyer, the combination of vafpln-` i rality of parallel lines of chain formed of ar-4 Y ticulated links, cross-piecesconnectillg the l .I 40g i in the transverse planes .of the. said conn'ect- .L ing cross-pieces, and outside of theedges of vj the lines ofchain, substantiallyas set forth. g

linesoi` chain, and rollersV orwheels'arranged 12.` In a convey/er, the combination of aplu,

rality of lines of chains formed of Varticulated wheels for the `chains and carriersfor `the wheels alsosupported 45 links having ,side bars, certain of the side .2,- bars of the links being provided .with Wings;T :i fr cross-pieces connecting the lines of chain and"` lsupported uponthesaid Wings, supporting-i q 59. 1 bythe saidwings, sub-rv stantially as setnforth.` a

`13. Aconveyer'comprisingalline of .drivel -v chain,` and parallel lines` of supportingfchains and cross-pieces secured to the said lines `of chain, substantially as 'set Iforth,kr

MSA conveyer, comprising a line of drive* chain, lines of supporting-chains.parallel thereto,v cross-piecesuniting the said lines of l, ,Y

V '6o ,f chain in line With-the cross`-pieces and intenl chains, and supporting-wheels carried by the mediate the joints orarticulating parts of the chains,` substantially as set forth. 4 y t ".Witnessesr.

I WM. C. FRAYE, V. I. KLOFANDA; Y`

CHRISTOPHERW. LEVALLEr, y 

